TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps to be permanently banned in India

January 26, 2021

Government of India has reportedly decided to ban Tiktok and 58 other Chinese apps permanently. According to a report by LiveMint, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a new notification to TikTok, WeChat, Bytedance, UC Alibaba browser, and other apps to impose a permanent ban in India.
“The government is not satisfied with the response/explanation given by these companies. Hence, the ban for these 59 apps is permanent now,” LiveMint cited an unnamed source familiar with the development.
Amid India’s border tussle with China, the government had initially banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, WeChat, citing data privacy and security concerns in June 2020. In the last six months, the total banned Chinese apps tally went up to 208.
TikTok had initiated the talks with the MeitY to resolve the issue, but now it seems there is no resolution. It also means that the Google Play and App Store will continue to suspended access to these apps in India.
“We are evaluating the notification and will respond if necessary. TikTok is one of the first companies to comply with the Government’s Government Directive issued on 29 June 2020. We continue to strive to comply with local laws and regulations and do everything possible. overcoming government problems. Ensuring the privacy and security of all users remains our priority,” report quoted a TikTok spokesperson.